Small
by Anti-Twilight Forever
Summary: Jamie's behavior is off one day. While Kiva is suspicious, Coop acts as if he's seen it before. What's up with their friend? Why doesn't he ever go home? And... wait... did they just hug! *Fluff warning!* Rated T for language and some themes.
1. What's Up With Jamie?

**Okay, before you guys shoot me, understand that when inspiration hits me, it hits me HARD- like, On-Coming-Train-Filled-With-Wrecking-Balls-And-Cement hard! **

**So I got into Megas XLR, thus how I got inspired to write this fic. …that, and when browsing through some of the fan-fictions, I didn't think there were enough that centered around just Coop and Jamie. **

**Thus the idea struck me to write one of my own. Going to try to keep it short though, maybe around 5 chapters, give or take, considering I have other stories to work on. I'm just writing this to get the idea out of the way and blow off some stress.**

**Oh, and this isn't going to be a slash-fic. Not that I don't mind those, but… I just don't want Coop smashing my house with Megas and busting my laptop. (Jamie I'm not too scared about, considering he's a wimp). It will, however, include fluff by the tons- and I pray to God that they're not reading this 0_0**

**Well enough of the intro, lets get this story started!**

_**Disclaimer: If I owned Megas XLR, we would be seeing it back on Cartoon Network with new episodes!**_

**~XLR~**

Kiva sighed, leaning back in the shot-gun seat as she looked over Jersey City… once again in ruins, and once again because of Coop. Honestly, it was a surprise the city hadn't been evacuated within the month the overweight couch-potato started using Megas, as he caused so much damage to the city that they practically knew the names of every US Task Force officer sent to the location- the Government actually had the armies do 'weekly checks' on their routes just to survey what kind of chaos took place!

It was a surprise that the Military never came in to confiscate Megas- though perhaps it was because, despite the pilot of the robot was a reckless idiot, it helped prevent the destruction of the entire planet caused by the Glorifts and other extraterrestrial maniacs. ...though considering Coop had actually destroyed a couple planets himself, Kiva wondered how much longer Planet Earth could hold out.

The future-warrior looked out the window down at the Speedy-Mart, where Coop had decided to stop for a Megaslush, the slob now standing outside the store, looking at a movie-poster advertising another one of those sci-fi monster-battle films that he and Jamie were always into (and Kiva would never understand); Jamie himself went back home immediately after the alien took off, deciding to shower and change clothes after some sort of gunk splattered all over him during the fight (what it was, no one knew, and he didn't want to find out).

"Coop, c'mon! We've got training to catch up on!" Kiva shouted out the window.

"Aw c'mon, Kiv, can't it wait until tomorrow? I'm pretty sure today would count as a training session!" Coop called back up.

Kiva thought back on the day: Coop had accidentally unearthed an ancient UFO that had landed on Earth millions of years ago, having gotten caught in a tar-pit during the Prehistoric era; the alien in-question had put itself in a cryogenic sleep when it learned it would not be unable to leave the planet until a day when its ship was resurfaced… and when that day was today, it was pretty cranky from its extended nap, and went on a rampage. …After fighting it and messing up the city in the process, Coop finally found a solution: getting the ancient alien interested in modern videogames and television, sending it and its spaceship back into the galaxy with a television and game console (both found at Goat's junkyard).

A stupid solution, but Kiva had gotten used to those. "I highly doubt playing 'Great Thief Motor' with an extraterrestrial counts as training," she said to Coop.

"It's called '_Grand Theft Auto'_, Kiva… sheesh, even Macintosh got it right the first time!" Coop scoffed (Macintosh being the nickname he gave to the alien post-battle). He then rubbed his chin. "I wonder if he'll ever come back for the next Videogame Tournament in Vegas…"

"After what you did to Vegas last time, I doubt anyone will be holding a tournament there again…"

"It's Vegas, Kiva- the land of no surrender! If people believed in giving up in that city, people would be leaving casinos with cash to spare!"

Kiva only sighed. "Whatever. Lets just head back to the house- training would probably wreck more of the city, anyway…"

"Now you're talking!" Coop climbed into Megas, sitting at the controls and preparing to head out.

A loud *CRASH* from down the street caught their attention, before Coop even put the key into the ignition. Looking in the rearview mirror, they saw someone storming down the sidewalk, knocking over trash-cans, fold-up signs, and newspaper stands, while shoving past anyone in their wake. As they got closer, Kiva got a good look at their face.

"What the…? Is that Jamie?!" Kiva sputtered, pulling up the sensors for a DNA match just to make sure. It proved positive.

Coop merely looked out the window, watching as Jamie shoved some punk and cussing him out, and then started running for his life when the brute decided to use him as a punching bag. He only sighed. "Kiva, you handle the punk. I'll get Jamie," he responded, calmly.

"What?"

"Just do it. I'll meet you back at the house afterwards,"

Kiva arched an eyebrow, wondering why Coop offered to go after Jamie alone. She didn't have time to argue, as Coop was now moving Megas down the block to catch up to Jamie, just as the thug was closing in on him. Coop stopped the giant robot long enough for her to get out… the moment she was on solid ground, he immediately went after Jamie, who had shot around the corner.

"So, what exactly did Jamie do to set_ you_ off?" Kiva asked the punk.

The punk looked at Kiva, sneering. "None of your damn business, sweet-cheeks." He replied, then smirked. "Although, it's nothing compared to what you're setting off in my-"

One vulgar-statement-too-many later, and the punk was getting kicked in the groin and karate-flipped on the pavement, losing consciousness immediately. He wasn't the first to use such language around Kiva, who decided to make use of her combat-skills on any other brain-dead pervert who got on her bad side- much less wondered how humanity could have continued, considering no self-respecting woman would be caught dead with such ill-mannered men.

But she would have to teach the punk a lesson in common decency later. She went around the corner, just in time to see Megas halfway across the district…

…holding Jamie by the hood of his jacket. "DAMMIT, COOP, PUT ME DOWN!" he was shouting at the top of his lungs in fury.

"What's with Jamie?" One passerby asked.

"What do you think Coop's going to do with him?" Another asked.

"Hopefully toss him in the ocean," some other punk commented.

_I've never seen Jamie so mad before... much less be stupid enough to purposely pick a fight with someone twice his size. And why does Coop want to handle him alone? _Kiva thought, deciding to follow them. Something was going on, and she intended to find out…

Plus, she knew it would be Doomsday to leave Coop alone in Megas for too long.

~XLR~

"The ol' man said he was hoping I got killed this time," Jamie stated bitterly. "Mom didn't say jack, and went out to talk on her cell."

Fifteen minutes had passed since Coop, literately, picked up his friend. He walked towards the edge of town, towards a lake located near the outskirts of the neighborhood. After threatening Jamie that he'd drop him in the polluted water unless he calmed down, his best friend finally decided to tell him what was up with his attitude.

Of course, having been in this situation before, Coop didn't really need to ask. He just waited until his friend would vent, letting him sit in Megas' palm as he stared out at the setting sun. That's when Coop noticed the bruise on the side of his face.

"I told him instead of talking shit, he could either kiss my ass or shut the fuck up." Jamie continued, wincing a bit. "The bastard chucked a beer-bottle at my face, then slammed me into the wall, calling me a pathetic faggot before throwing me out of the house."

"Harsh. …'Least you got to use the shower this time," Coop replied, sipping a soda. Despite his cool demeanor, however, he was boiling mad on the inside, the rage continuing to build up as it had been for the past several years. He just kept up a calm charade- he couldn't blow his top _just_ yet. "Why don't you just move out, already?"

Jamie scoffed. "If I could, I would have after graduation. Kinda hard to do when your dad blows your college-savings on booze, and you can't land a job anywhere. Mom still doesn't give a fuck."

"Why not just live at my place, then? You're over basically every day, anyhow."

"Dude, you still live with your mom! I doubt she'd want another mouth to feed- plus, you still got Kiva living with you. I doubt that would end well,"

"C'mon, my mom loves having you over- she suffers from 'empty-nest' syndrome, one reason why I don't choose to leave…"

"…alongside the fact that you can't afford your own rent,"

"AND, as for Kiva, she wouldn't mind- unless she catches you peeping again,"

Jamie blushed. "That was ONE time! …You'd think in the future they'd know that bathroom doors were supposed to stay locked!" Coop only laughed at this. "Shut up, man, it's not funny!"

"I can't help it- her hand-print was on your face for a whole week!"

Jamie rubbed the unbruised side of his face. "Yeah, and it's STILL sore…"

Coop sighed, running his hand through his hair, feeling a breeze blow by. It was a cool summer evening, so he decided to keep the top down while he and Jamie had their heart-to-heart… or whatever you call those things. "Look, Jamie, sooner or later you need to pack up, so you might as well choose the now. And my door's always open- it worked the first time back in Junior High, remember?"

Jamie rolled his eyes. "Yeah, for a week until your dad kicked me out for asking for money three times."

"Well, it's just me and my mom now… and Kiva, but like I said, I think you'll be fine. …At least she notices you're around, and won't beat you with beer-bottles,"

Jamie shook his head. "No way, man. I don't want to be a weakling and run away from some problem, much less impose on you guys-"

"One: People already see you as a weakling. Two: You're not running away, you're ditching two creeps who don't know their own kid. And Three: It's not imposing if I'm inviting you… and if you turn down the offer, I swear I'll use Megas and kidnap you in your sleep, and smash your house!"

Jamie leaned back and rested against Megas' index finger, looking out at the sun as it sunk below the horizon, the stars beginning to come out. He breathed in deep, smirking a bit. "Alright. If you let me down, I'll come stay with you for two weeks-"

"A month, or I drop you in the lake."

Jamie shrugged. "Deal. Now, can you put me down now?"

"How about a ride back to my place for a _Slug Monster _marathon, then I let you down?"

"Fine… but this time, let me ride shot-gun. I prefer _not_ to be dangled 200-feet in the air while going places,"

"Fair enough," Coop had Megas raise its hand, allowing Jamie to step onto the robot's shoulder, walking towards the car.

Once Jamie was close enough, Coop caught him by the arm and yanked him forth over the door, wrapping his other arm around his shoulders, then releasing his friend's arm so he could rub his back, holding his friend tight against him. Jamie tried to push away, muffling curses as his face was planted in his friend's chest- though the struggle was useless, as Coop outweighed him by, like, 400 Philly Cheese-steaks.

"Dammit, Coop, you know I hate this!" Jamie grumbled as he continued to pull away.

"Yeah, sure." Coop responded, keeping a firm grip on his friend. He then moved his hand to the small of Jamie's back, rubbing it gently- the one spot he knew that would ease his friend's tension completely.

Immediately, Jamie relaxed, giving up his fight and unleashing a heavy sigh; if they were sitting or standing in a less-uncomfortable way, he would have probably collapsed easily in his friend's arms. Though, considering the lower part of his stomach was getting an imprint from the edge of the car, such an act wouldn't happen… this time.

"Do you really have to do this every time?" Jamie asked, though his tone was a little more relaxed.

_After what almost happened before, yes. _Coop wanted to reply, but kept his mouth shut (for once). "Just relax. …Besides, it's not like there's anyone around to s-"

"What are you two doing up there?" came a shout from below…

The two friends froze and- still hugging- looked down…

Seeing Kiva standing there, watching them!

"Oh… crap." Coop commented, as Jamie quickly pulled away from him. He then stepped out of the vehicle, looking down. "Uh, Kiv… how long have you been down there?"

"Long enough to see you pull Jamie half-way into the car… What's going on?" Kiva asked.

Coop and Jamie exchanged glances, the latter having a gaze that clearly read, _One word and I'll kill you!_

"Um… Jamie just slipped." The couch-potato replied instead.

"Yyyeah, there's still some grease and slime over Megas, so… watch your step when you come up," Jamie said, keeping it casual. He quickly slid across the hood to the other side of the vehicle, climbing into the shot-gun seat.

"Hmm." Kiva replied, obviously not convinced, and made her way up to the control-unit.

"Dude, she's obviously on to us. What should we tell her?" Jamie whispered to Coop.

"Simple. Just… uh… tell her it's a secret! Kiva always understands when we keep a secret, right?" Coop replied.

Jamie gave a deadpanned look. "Dude… do you remember the LAST time we tried to keep a secret from Kiva?"

_[Flashback of a giant, radioactive slug attacking the city; Kiva looks over and glares at Coop and Jamie, who are smiling innocently while holding chemistry jars and a half-burned leash.]_

Coop pouted a bit. "…still can't believe she made us get rid of Butch…"

"Man… I just know she's going to hold this against us! She'll probably tell everyone in the future about it when she goes back- even if no one remembers us a billion years from now, it's still going to be humiliating!" Jamie groaned.

"She doesn't exactly have proof, so there's no reason to worry about it. I mean, if we just shrug it off and tell her to forget about it, I think we'll be alright."

Kiva arrived before Jamie could respond, taking her spot in the backseat. Coop only gave an awkward cough, though she remained quiet, only pulling up the holographic database to make sure Megas was still in decent condition. Coop looked at Jamie, who shrugged, and they decided to head home.

Two minutes of silence later, Kiva spoke up. "You know, affection like that is rarely seen in my time-" she began.

"For crying out loud, Kiva! Just forget about it! And don't go blackmailing us either, because without proof, you don't have shit!" Jamie snapped quickly. "So we hugged! Friends hug all the time! It's not like we're gay or anything- why do people always assume that every fucking time?!"

Kiva paused, looking at Jamie, confused.

Coop face-palmed.

Jamie, feeling the awkwardness setting in, turned around and sank low in his seat, his entire face red with embarrassment. "…j-just don't say a word or you're dead," he mumbled, half-heartedly.

"Actually… I was going to say that I never see any affection like that in my time-period, except during post-battles." Kiva responded. "Often it's because of the grief from losing loved ones, or new recruits having barely survived a mission and in need of consoling, or from comrades who managed to get through a battle together and are just relieved. ...Considering I've never seen you two hug before, well, I'm curious on your reasons, and I figure it has something to do with your outrage half an hour ago, Jamie."

Coop looked at Jamie, who had pulled his hat over his still-red face. "Maybe later, Kiva. Lets just head to my house- there's something else we gotta tell you, anyway." He said to the future-warrior.

"What is it?"

Coop opened his mouth to reply… but his brain kicked in gear long enough for him to figure out it would be a better idea to wait until they were back at his place and unwind a bit. "I'll tell you when we get home,"

Kiva sighed, crossing her arms. She hated it when the dimwitted-duo kept something from her. She looked at Jamie, who was the most silent, which irked her most- when he was quiet, she definitely knew something was going on. Smirking, she decided she might as well bide her time until they finally cracked and confessed.

"So, Jamie… what were you saying about being gay?" she asked, smugly.

"ARGH!" Jamie shouted, slamming his head on the dash-board… accidentally setting off a button labeled 'Jamie Slam Your Head Here In Emergencies', which shot off a laser, making a hole clean through a tall building with the sign 'Empty Building Made Just For Show'.

"…Ever notice we've been getting a lot of empty buildings in town?" Coop commented, while Jamie kept his head on the dash (clear of buttons) and Kiva sighed.

~XLR~

**A/N: …Yep, Jamie's gonna kill me XD And sorry if the fluff was OOC… but, c'mon, it's FLUFF- not everyone is in-character 90% of the time! And it's fanfiction, the land where anything is possible!**

**Next chapter, Kiva hears the news- giving me more reason to run for my life.**


	2. We're Getting A New Roomie

**Next chapter, awaaaay!**

**Did I mention flash-backs will be included? …Well, flashbacks will be included.**

…

**:D**

**~XLR~**

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"

Coop had quickly plugged his ears immediately after he told Kiva that Jamie would be staying with them for a month. And, as he predicted, she didn't take it all that well- especially since he told her about it last-minute. "C'mon, Kiv, he's over practically every day, anyway…" he replied.

"Yeah, and the moment you two are together, disaster hits! Having you both under the same roof 24-7…" Kiva took in a deep breath, deciding to hold back on her venting. After all, there had to be a reason behind it- especially since the idea was brought up so suddenly. "Exactly… _why_ did you invite him to live here? Doesn't he have his own house?"

Coop shrugged, walking to the closet and pulling out some spare blankets and pillows. "Not exactly… lets just say, he needs a place to stay for a while," he set the items beside the couch, taking the cushions off it and pulling out the fold-away mattress.

Kiva crossed her arms, growing a bit impatient. "Let me guess- after you grabbed him off the street, he said something to make you mad, and you smashed his place,"

Coop rolled his eyes. "Even if Jamie DID make me mad, what makes you think I'd smash something of his?"

Kiva only arched an eyebrow…

_~Flashback: A Month ago~_

Coop and Jamie are looking at a busted VCR tape- the latter glowering at his overweight friend. "Well, you lost my _Smash Bros. _game!" Coop snapped.

_~Second Flashback: Two weeks ago~_

Jamie is gawking at a busted iPod, turning and glaring at Coop. "Well, you scratched up my paint-job!" Coop snapped, pointing at a [very tiny] scrape on Megas' left-leg.

_~Third Flashback: Yesterday~_

Jamie is looking at the remains of his favorite fast-food restaurant… again glaring at Coop. "Well, you skipped out on the check!" Coop snapped, then looked at the restaurant. "…and it was my favorite place to eat too, so this doesn't count. …Do you still use that stereo you bought two years back?"

_~Back to the present~_

"Alright, alright! …But no, I didn't smash his house. This is because- well, it's kinda private." Coop said to Kiva as he set the pillows and blankets on the mattress.

"It has something to do with his rampage earlier, doesn't it?" Kiva walked over, resting a hand on Coop's shoulder. "Coop, if there's something wrong with Jamie… I'd like to know- especially if we're going to be living under the same roof. Is there something wrong with him… or something wrong with the home he lives in?"

Coop paused a beat, sighing. "He doesn't want me talking about it. It's pretty personal,"

Kiva looked over at the basement stairs. Jamie had gone to pick up some things from his house- having left Coop to explain to Kiva about his new living arrangements. Before he left, she noticed a large bruise on the side of his face, having missed it in the car as she only saw his good side, and didn't get a chance to ask about it after they arrived. One thing was for certain, she knew: he didn't get it from their battle that day.

"Does it… does it have to do with that bruise on his face?" Kiva asked, concern in her voice. She and Jamie hardly got along at times, but despite their rivalry she did care about him- like a wise-older sister would care about her dense little brother if he got hurt.

Coop rubbed the back of his neck, mentally debating on whether or not he should tell Kiva. He sat down on the mattress at last, sighing a bit. "Alright… but on one condition: you can't tell anybody- not in our time, not on our planet, or any other planet, not even in the future!" he said, then rubbed his chin. "Aaaand… you also gotta buy me lunch for the next two weeks!"

Kiva crossed her arms. "How about I keep it secret, and I don't tell the Glorift commander that his arch-nemesis hugs his best friend?"

Coop blinked. "Uh… alright. Well, the main reason Jamie's going to be living with me is because… well, he doesn't have a home. On second thought, he does have a place to live, but it's not exactly 'homey'. You see, it started way back when we were kids…"

~XLR~

_~12 Years Ago…~_

Coop twiddled his thumbs as he and Jamie sat in the back-seat of the Cadillac, the two eleven-year-olds unbelievably quiet. The hefty child was dressed in a black suit-jacket, tie, and black pants, while his friend only wore a black hoodie and torn jeans. Coop opened his mouth to say something, but paused, having no words to say. It wasn't easy talking to a kid who just lost the best grandmother in the world.

The car pulled up to a cemetery, the two boys stepping out with Coop's parents. "Now, Coop, I don't want you running off and causing mischief, alright?" His father, a hefty man in his 40's with graying blonde hair, said to him. "This is no place to mess around in,"

"Yes, sir." Coop replied with a nod.

"When will your parents be here, Jamie?" Coop's mother asked. The family had offered to give Jamie a lift to the funeral, since they were close friends of his late-grandmother, and the woman figured having Jamie ride over with his best friend would help ease his sorrow.

Jamie winced, shrugging. His parents weren't coming- his father was too drunk and his mother went into work that day. Coop's mother sympathetically patted him on the shoulder, and they entered the cemetery.

Normally Coop was restless- unable to sit or stand somewhere for too long before getting bored and wandering off to find something to do (unless he brought an Auto-Magazine or Gameboy with him). But today was different- his best friend was in deep grief, for obvious reasons. Jamie adored his grandmother. Coop couldn't blame him- she made the most awesome cookies, and always let the two boys spend the night whenever they wanted (even if they ended up making a mess afterwards), and she would always lend them some money to go rent a movie or new videogame! Who _wouldn't_ miss an awesome grandmother like that?

He looked at Jamie as they stood by the grave, watching as the casket was lowered in. His best friend's lip was trembling, his eyes were welling up, and he was beginning to shake… And then he bolted, running around headstones and out of sight, so no one would see him cry.

"Jamie! Oh, dear…" Coop's mother gasped.

"I'll go get him," Coop offered immediately, running in the direction his friend had gone… though slowed down after a minute, remembering he wasn't that much into exercise- especially after it began to rain, and he didn't want to slip in the grass and break his leg or something. He looked around, checking behind every headstone and statue, until he finally found his friend, crouched at the statue of an angel, his face buried in his hands. "Jamie?"

The scrawny, pale boy gasped. "Oh, Coop… it's just you," he sighed after looking up. "Is… is the service over with?"

"I dunno. Probably. Why'd you take off?"

Jamie sniffled, but took a deep breath, struggling to hold in his tears. "I just… didn't want anyone to see me cry. It's for sissies,"

"Well, yeah, but I think it's alright if it's at a funeral." Coop sat down next to Jamie, resting a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, man. I'm going to miss her too- your grandma was the coolest old gal in the city! She always had snacks for us, let us chill around her place all the time… and never hit me with her cane telling me to take up jogging like my grandma does."

"She was more than cool…" Jamie pulled his legs up to his chest, resting his face in his arms. "I wish she didn't have to leave so soon…"

Coop sympathetically rubbed his friend's back. "Me too, bud, me too…" He absentmindedly rubbed the small of Jamie's back. His friend's eyes widened a bit, as he tensed up with a jolt. "W-What is it?"

"N-Nothing, just… it's a sensitive part of my back, don't do that," Jamie's eyes were filling with tears again.

Coop arched an eyebrow. He and Jamie had a tendency to wrestle around- namely over dominance on who'd get to use the remote or get the comfy chair- so he would know about any sensitive spots his friend had. Plus, it wasn't like he punched him there… "How sensitive is it?" He rubbed the small of his friend's back again.

"I-I said don't do that!" Jamie snapped, standing up to storm off, though the grass was too slick and he ended up falling. Coops hand shot out and caught him by the arm, trying to steady him, but only ended up causing his friend to turn and fall onto him. Jamie only leaned against him, beginning to tremble in bitterness and sorrow.

Coop folded his arms around his friend, rubbing the small of his back. "What's so sensitive about it?" he asked again. "You have a bruise there or… Jamie?"

He paused, noticing his friend's trembling increased… though this time it was because he was sobbing into his shoulder. "D-Dumbass, I t-told you… n-not to d-do that…" he whispered, his hands gripping Coop's jacket.

"What is it?"

Jamie looked around, making sure no one else was around. "P-promise you won't laugh?"

"Sure, man."

"It's just… m-my grandma always rubbed me there, every time…"

"Every time, what?"

Jamie sniffled. "Every time… I came over to her house crying…"

Coop arched an eyebrow- he always visited Jamie's grandmother with his best friend, but never saw him cry or anything. "Huh? Why would you be crying? …Did Ricky Peterson gang up on you when I wasn't around, or something?"

"No… Coop, can you keep a secret?"

"Sure, for a Megaslush."

"I'm serious! …you know what, forget it. You won't under-" Jamie tried to pull away, but Coop held him down.

"Okay, I promise I'll keep it secret." When his friend remained silent, Coop patted him on the back, talking gently. "C'mon, bud… you can tell me anything. I won't tell anyone."

Jamie sighed. "My parents hate me… Grandma was the only one who took care of me. That's why I was always at her house. Dad keeps drinking, and Mom pays more attention to her office-job… Grandma was the only one who knew, three years after they started to ditch me and stuff. She was going to get custody of me this year, since she could finally afford it… but then… when I was going over to her house last week… she… she was…!" He couldn't help it. He broke down.

Coop didn't know what to do or say… all he could do was hold onto his friend, letting him cry. His hand once again drifted to the small of his friend's back- Jamie tensed. "S-Sorry…!" Coop gasped.

"It's… it's okay now…" Jamie sighed, relaxing a bit. "…just don't tell anyone," he smiled a bit. "And… I'll buy you a Megaslush,"

Coop grinned a bit, patting his friend on the back once more as they pulled out of their hug. "C'mon, lets get back to my folks, before dad-"

"COOP! JAMIE! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Coop's father called.

"…Never mind. Lets hurry, before he blows his stack,"

Jamie nodded, following his friend, though remained solemn.

Coop noticed his friend still looked down, then rested a hand on his shoulder. "Hey… I got the new _Mortal Kombat_ game. Wanna come over and play it? You can spend the night too, if you want."

Jamie smiled. "Sure. Thanks."

~XLR~

_~Present~_

"I kept Jamie's secret for years since then- other secrets he told me slipped out, but that one I kept quiet about…" Coop was finishing. He scratched his head. "Though, it was kinda easy, since I forgot about it sometimes. The only time I remembered it was when his parents were giving him trouble- which wasn't very often, since, you know, he was either always with me or his folks barely paid attention to hi- oh, crud, what did I say?!"

Kiva was sitting on the bed, listening to every word, wincing and having her mouth covered. "That's… that's horrible! Why didn't he go to some authority and tell them about his parents' neglect and abuse?!" she asked.

"Well… he was going to once… but he didn't want to get sent into foster-care and be separated from me, I guess. He's pretty stubborn too- his dad always called him a wimp, so he probably figured that it would be a weak move if he just ran away. Plus, he was always with me most of the time, so he had a pretty good deal going on for a while."

Kiva shook her head, standing up. "That's not enough. Those people can't get away with this!"

Coop stood up after her, placing an arm around her shoulders. "Kiv, it's alright! After Jamie moves in with us, they won't be a problem. There's no reason to get upset about it anym-"

*thud*

The two paused, hearing the sound coming from upstairs, followed by Coop's mother's voice: "Oh my goodness! Jamie, what happened?!"

It was one of the very few times Coop ever shot off running upstairs.

~XLR~

**A/N: Cliffhanger! XD …well, now the readers are going to be after me. At least it's worth it, seeing a bit of childhood fluff between Coop and Jamie, right? **

**And trust me, more will be coming! …man I hope those guys don't find me…**


	3. Milk Duds

**And now to show what happened to Jamie… before his fan-girls kill me… though they probably will anyway once they see the results… *gulp* why didn't I take more karate lessons?**

**~XLR~**

"I-I'm fine! I'm… fine…"

No one believed Jamie… unless being 'fine' meant having a black-eye, ripped jacket, bleeding lip, blood-stained pantleg, and on his hands and knees, trying to steady his breath. Coop's mother was already running to the bathroom to grab bandages and peroxide, while Coop and Kiva carefully helped move their friend into a chair.

"Ah man, dude, I told ya we should've waited until tomorrow!" Coop said, infuriated and distraught over his best friend's condition. "I mean, geez, I know you've taken a few hits whenever we were being attacked by aliens and stuff, but you never came out looking THIS bad!"

"Jamie, what happened?" Kiva asked, more concerned than ever.

"Just… some goon jumped me for my wallet. S-Seriously, guys, I'll be fine…" Jamie said, and tried to get up, but a sudden ache caused him to abandon that epic-fail of an idea. "On second thought… got an ice-pack handy?"

"You poor thing- honestly, the things you always get into!" Coop's mother stated as she entered, rolling up Jamie's blood-stained pantleg. Everyone cringed, seeing streaks of blood, though the cuts weren't too deep. The old woman adjusted her glasses, getting a good look- lucky for them, Coop's mother was a registered nurse. "There's traces of glass in your cuts! …Kiva, dear, would you mind getting the First-Aid kit out of the closet? This will require some immediate attention; Coop, get the ice-pack out of the freezer for Jamie's eye,"

Kiva nodded and ran out quick, while Coop headed over to the fridge. He looked back at his friend, who was wincing as his mother grabbed a foot-stool to prop his wounded leg up on… Seeing Jamie in such a bad state made his blood boil. No one hurt his best friend! …Unless it was Kiva or some other girl he miffed off, but those cases were different! He also had the feeling that this wasn't the work of some mugger.

He handed Jamie the ice-pack, keeping a hand on his shoulder. "Just tell me where they were at, dude, and I'll use Megas and throw them clear to Jupiter!" Coop said, even though he had an idea on where to find his friend's attacker. He rubbed his chin. "Or, maybe find the Glorift's ship and break one of their windows by shooting the goon's body right at-"

"You're not going to do anything like that, young man!" Coop's mother snapped, as she cleaned the blood off Jamie's leg. "Honestly, the moment you brought that robot home, you've been trying to smash everything…"

"Aw, c'mon, Mom! I'm doing it for Jamie!" Coop then gave his best smile, while taking a knack at giving his mother the 'Bambi' eyes. (Jamie stifled a laugh). "Pleeeeeaaaaase?"

"You're still in trouble for wrecking the city for the umpteenth time, I wouldn't go begging! …You're lucky I don't ground you from using that giant robot for a month- if Kiva wasn't so intent on teaching you how to use it properly…"

Kiva returned by this point, with the medical kit. "…It's not really teaching, if he barely follows instructions," she commented, handing the old woman the kit.

"Seriously, Coop, I'm good. I've been through worse," Jamie assured, then flinched when Coop's mother started using tweezers to pick shards of broken glass out of his leg. "Agh!"

"Jamie, you'll have to stay relaxed if I'm going to do this, dearie." Coop's mother said. "Wouldn't want to get dragged to the hospital for surgery, would you?"

"He might have to be, anyway, in case any more glass got in too deep," Kiva noted. Jamie stifled a whimper, though she noticed. "What's wrong? Afraid of hospitals?"

"No… Coop's smashing my shoulder…!" Jamie grunted, thumbing up at Coop.

The overweight-friend in question was looking over Jamie's shoulder, putting a little too much pressure on it, as he watched his mother work. "Dude… Look at all that blood! If there's any glass in that slice, it's probably flooding out-" he was commenting.

"Coop!" Jamie whimpered, Kiva snapped, and his mother warned.

Coop, noticing he wasn't exactly helping out his friend at the moment, released his grip and backed away. "Sorry,"

"S'okay… ow…"

Once the glass had been plucked out of the wound, Coop's mother rubbed some peroxide over it and bandaged Jamie's leg. "Now I want you to go lie down, and keep off that leg for the weekend," she stated, giving him a gentle pat on the head. "Poor thing,"

Coop and Kiva helped Jamie down the basement stairs, having him lie on the out-folded mattress. Kiva then noticed something was amiss. "Jamie, where's your bag? I thought you were bringing your things over," she questioned, then noticed him winced. "…Or, did this 'thug' you told us about steal it?"

"Um… I didn't make it to my house," Jamie lied- she could always tell, and he knew it, though he would always try. "I'll… just have to get it in the morning,"

Kiva only turned away with a quiet 'Mm.' before walking back up the stairs. Once he was sure she was out of ear-shot, Coop turned to Jamie. "Okay, just say the word, and I'll make sure that douche pisses out every beer he ever drank!" he whispered, cracking his fists.

"Nah, dude… I'll just head over there in the morning. Mom'll be at work, and he'll be sleeping off a hangover, so I'll get in and get out." Jamie replied. Coop was giving him a look, and he sighed heavily. "Then you can smash the house and hang him by his shorts from the top of a building or something,"

"Heh, he'd better pray I don't do worse! …What exactly went down over there?"

Jamie shrugged. "I just walked in through the door and started packing my duffel-bag, then he came in and started cussing me out, claiming it was about time I left and shit like that. I ignored him this time- he got pissed, demanded I answer him, and when I didn't he punched me in the face, tried to break my face with a beer-bottle but hit the dresser, and used the jagged part to stab me in the throat- he was too drunk to stay up so he ended up slicing my leg instead. …Then Mom came in and forced me to get out before I 'caused more trouble', and didn't even let me grab my bag. Chances are, that asshole is dumping everything out now and tearing it up,"

"Sheesh. Maybe I'll smash her office, too."

"Whatever you like. Lets just kick back tonight," Jamie slowly leaned back, aching with every movement. "It might be a while before I can go around and watch you smash stuff,"

"Alright… Wanna order a pizza and have a _Slug-Monster _marathon? I got all the movies recorded,"

Jamie shrugged again. "Sure."

"Awesome. …I'll call up Pizza Hut-"

"You smashed it last week."

"Alright, I'll call Domino's-"

"Smashed it last month,"

"Cici's Pizza?"

"Three days ago,"

"Little Caesar's?!"

"This morning,"

"Aarrrrgh!" Coop rubbed his face. "…I guess I'll just pick up a few slices from the Speedy Mart then…" he began walking out.

"Grab me a box of Milk Duds and a Megaslush while you're at it,"

"Sure, dude." With that, Coop left.

Jamie leaned back, sighing. He then looked to the stairs. "You can come out now, Kiv."

Kiva walked down the stairs, having been sitting at the top, where the wall blocked her from view. "How did you know I was up here?" she asked.

"You're a girl. Girl's always eavesdrop. …Any questions?"

Kiva sat down in the chair next to the couch/bed. "Just one… Why doesn't your mom ever do anything about your dad? Mothers are supposed to protect their children in any situation,"

Jamie grimaced, shaking his head as he looked at the ceiling. "My mom's not really much of the 'motherly' type. She cares more about her job. The only reason she keeps my dad around is because of some prenuptial contract he made her sign. Five years after I came along, they suddenly decided they didn't want to have a kid, and started dropping me off at my Grandma's- soon I ended up going over there by myself. My grandma was the only one who took care of me- she was going to get custody of me, but she ended up kicking the bucket before anything could be done."

Kiva nodded, remembering what Coop had told her, but didn't want Jamie to know that his best friend let his secret slip. She had to play it casual. "And I suppose your parents' abuse was also the reason behind your raging behavior this afternoon?"

"How'd you guess?"

"That bruise on the side of your face wasn't there before we dropped you off at home, for one thing. Also, you suddenly end up moving in with us, right after yours and Coop's… moment."

Jamie blushed. "Alright, yes, they're the reason I was acting like a jackass- but who wouldn't? …By the way, don't even THINK about telling anyone about that hug! I'm serious!"

Kiva shook her head. "I told you, Jamie, seeing two men hug is rare in my time, as they only do it for reasons concerning the aftermath of battles. I don't see why you and Coop want to keep it secret- it's just an act of sensitivity… And I seem to recall you once stating that women always go for the 'sensitive' types,"

"Would you honestly want to hook up with a man who'd cry because he got his ass kicked? Chicks these days want a 'stand-up' kind of guy more than the 'sensitive' type- I only use the 'sensitive' card when I'm desperate!"

"I don't see what the problem would be, since you're almost always desperate,"

Jamie only sneered, looking away. "Ah, what do you know? Guys in your time are probably kick-ass and tough,"

"Only when it comes to battles. …In our time, everyone has to stay tough, considering we were always threatened by the Glorift. But we had to hang on to our humanity too- it's the only thing that makes us different than our enemy," She leaned forth, resting her chin on her palm. "Apparently, Coop knows that. …Question is, how did he know it calms you down?"

Jamie scoffed. "We've been friends since preschool, we always know what's up with each other… most of the time."

"I see. …I'm curious, though. You keep claiming that men hugging were a sign of weakness, so how did Coop subdue you into partaking in one?"

"He ambushed me, the frickin' cheater..."

"Yeah, but judging by your position, you could have wriggled free… but you seemed quite relaxed, even hugging him back."

Jamie gave her a look. "Why are you so hell-bent in finding out all the details of us hugging?!" his eyes widened just then. "…Did Coop tell you something?!"

"I just noticed that once he rubbed a certain part of your back, you stopped struggling," It was a lie, but Kiva had to keep_ her_ secret about_ their_ secret a _complete_ secret. "I promise, I won't breathe a word to anyone- they probably wouldn't believe me, anyway."

Jamie sighed. "Fine… As a kid, my Grandma would always rub the small of my back, helping me to calm down whenever I was upset. After she died, Coop found out how to keep me calm, so whenever my parents were giving me grief, all he had to do was hug me- privately, of course, so no one would think we were a pair of sissies or gay or anything like that."

"From the way you described them, Coop must have hugged you almost every day."

Jamie shook his head. "Nah. Most of the time my parents barely remembered they had a kid, and I always hung out with Coop so I wouldn't have to deal with their crap every day. I would've moved out sooner, except I couldn't afford rent anywhere and keeping a job was tough. The only way I earned money was helping Goat keep watch at the junkyard- or, walking around while he slept. It got boring so I just started selling him junk I'd find."

"Why didn't you just move in with Coop sooner, then? I mean, he probably gave you the offer before, if he knew what you were going through,"

Jamie grinned a bit. "Yeah… actually when we were 13, I tried living in his house, but his dad got pretty pissed when we were annoying him too much." His grin faded. "…After his pop died years later, I stayed with him for a full two-weeks, just for emotional support y'know. After that, I went back to my house, because I figured his woman couldn't afford feeding both of us, now that she had to pay for everything by herself. I decided I wouldn't impose on them after that, only hang out with Coop on a daily basis,"

Kiva nodded. "I'm glad you took his offer this time."

"Yeah. Me too."

There was a pause between them, as Jamie decided to turn on the TV, deciding to see what was on before Coop came back and took over the remote for their marathon.

"Was Coop always around?" Kiva asked.

"Huh?"

"Whenever you were… upset like that. Was he always around?"

Jamie lowered the remote, staring off into space. He blinked a couple times. "Um, not always, but I managed to get over it alright."

Kiva nodded, though again she could tell Jamie was lying… yet from the gaze in his eye, she had a feeling it was best if she didn't.

And Jamie knew she knew it, and was thankful she didn't take her questioning any further.

Coop walked in minutes later, with a few slices of pizza covered in shrink-wrap, a six-pack of soda, some Megaslushes, and some Philly cheese-steaks. "Alright, ready to start the show?" he asked, setting everything on the table.

"No," Jamie replied. "Something's missing,"

Coop's eyes widened. "Oh, crap, you're right! …I'll get the popcorn,"

2 minutes later, the overweight pilot of Megas was bringing a bowl of popcorn down. Still, Jamie shook his head. "Something's still missing,"

"Oh, crud, did we lose the tape again?!"

"No,"

"The remote?! Jamie, PLEASE don't tell me you lost the remote!"

"It's right here!" Jamie held up the remote.

"Okay, so what's missing?"

Jamie pointed to the assortment of snacks. "You forgot my Milkduds,"

~XLR~

**A/N: Next chapter is going to be a little intense- and told in Flashbacks!**


	4. Random Flashbacks

**Okay, as I said before, this chapter may be a little angsty… so much, that not only will Jamie's fan-girls possibly gun me down on-sight, but Jamie may even be pissed enough to throw in some punches- and Coop might crush me with Megas. **

…**people obviously don't take 'fluff' set-ups so well…**

**Read on, while I notify my next of kin!**

**~XLR~**

_Age 14_

Jamie rubbed his arm, from where his father punched him, wincing. All he was doing was watching television when his ol' man stormed in, assaulting him for taking 'his spot', and throwing him out of the house. His mother was pulling up by this point, but didn't say a word- only yakking on her mobile-phone.

Jamie ran down the block, going around the corner to Coop's house. Maybe playing some videogames would help get his mind off his bruised-arm and the fact that his parents were a couple of douche-bags.

"Hey, Coop," Jamie stated as he walked through the back door that lead into the basement, seeing that another kid from school was visiting- Tiny, one of Coop's Auto-Shop friends. "What's up?"

"Not much, we were just heading to the junkyard," Coop replied.

"We're going to practice taking apart and assembling cars… but mostly taking them apart," Tiny said.

"Cool. What's it for, some sort of Auto-Shop project?" Jamie asked.

"Actually it's just practice- we're going to pull a prank on Mr. Zvinsky and take apart his vehicle, and re-build it in the gym!" Coop said, trying to keep in a laugh.

"Wanna come?" Tiny asked. "It'll probably take at least 3 guys to carry everything,"

"Sure," Jamie replied.

They started walking down the street, as Tiny and Coop got into a discussion about their love of cars. Jamie only listened, namely imagining their teacher's face once he'd find his car in the gym- and wondering how many girls will think he's cool for partaking in something so rebellious and daring. He could practically see all the cheerleaders coming towards him, hugging and kissing him for getting back at the teacher who never let them gossip in class and all that stuff…

"Hey, did you hear what happened to Gary Yild? He got beat up this afternoon!" Tiny said. "He got stuck in his locker for 20 minutes before the custodian let him out,"

"Ouch, who beat him up?" Coop asked.

"Ricky Peterson, who else? Something about teasing him for hugging his little brother or something. It was the kid's first day of school and he was upset about something, Gary said- and then Ricky just started picking on him, punched him a couple times, and shoved him in the locker!"

"Just for hugging his brother?" Jamie questioned.

"Yeah, pretty stupid, I know. Maybe if it were a hot girl or something it wouldn't be so bad- but if you're hugging anyone who's not your girlfriend nowadays, almost anyone will pound ya. Heck, my cousin said he got his butt kicked just because someone saw his mom give him a kiss on the cheek!" he shook his head. "I guess some teens just don't know when to stop acting like little kids or save face."

"So what happened to Ricky?" Coop asked.

"What else? Got detention,"

The boys then changed the subject, talking about some new action-movie that would be playing in town, though Jamie once again wasn't paying attention. He was quite a wimp in school, getting harassed daily- though always managed to outrun the bullies. Coop couldn't outrun them, though the bullies hardly messed with him, namely because he knew how to fight back, one reason Jamie was glad they were friends.

He rubbed his arm, wondering what would happen if word got out that his best friend always had to comfort him of his parental issues. No doubt Ricky Peterson would be after him next… and the humiliation they would go through- as if getting picked on for being a weakling or a danger-prone slob wasn't bad enough.

They arrived at the junkyard, and Jamie decided to just focus on their mission at hand, deciding to hold back on telling Coop about his father's assault this one time.

~XLR~

_Age 15_

Freshmen year was the only year in high school where you had to prove your maturity- prove that you were no longer a childish Middle School teen and were ready to take on the major leagues. Jamie tried to prove his maturity by asking out girl after girl, only to end up getting shot down or dumped before a second-date could be planned. Coop… well, his interests still remained on videogames and cars.

Life at home was the same. His mom always worked, and his dad always drank his beer. Jamie spent more of his time over at Coop's, up to a point where he ended up sleeping over there a few times- namely because the two friends would stay up too late playing videogames or watching monster-movies, and he'd pass out on the couch. He started bringing his homework over after the first few weeks- especially after an incident where his dad spilled beer on his bag and he had to get a new one.

One night, Jamie had to go home, after Coop's mom claimed it was getting late and his parents must be worried that he's hardly home. Jamie only stated that they work late and don't mind, but after Coop's father gave him a look (obviously getting tired of the teen always crashing at their place), he decided to head home, promising to hang out with Coop later that weekend.

They never told Coop's parents about the neglect and abuse Jamie was suffering. He didn't want to get sent into foster-care and probably never see his best friend again. Plus he heard about foster-families- they're only in it to get child-support funds. Not to mention he was in High School now- he had to prove he could deal with the circumstances. Coop understood- he knew his friend needed some way to prove he was strong… though always kept his door open, letting his friend know he was still there to console him.

That night, Jamie got thrown down the stairs, when his dad was in a drunken-rage. The ol' man passed out in the hall exactly one minute later, snoring and drooling everywhere. Jamie lied on the floor, staring at the ceiling, paralyzed for 20 minutes.

Once he found his strength, he went to his room, beginning to pack an overnight bag. It was 10 o'clock- Coop was probably still up, playing videogames as usual. He'd just go through the back, sit down, tell him about the situation, and take in a little comfort before watching his friend conquer one level after another…

He stopped, then. Why did he always decide to run to Coop whenever his dad hurt him? What was he, five? Setting his bag aside, he locked his bedroom door and lied down in bed. No, he wasn't going to run anymore. He had to learn to be strong.

He had to learn to grow up.

~XLR~

_Age 18._

Jamie spent all his high school days hanging out with Coop- he was barely home, as his friend always took him out driving, or to hang out with Goat at the junkyard. Whenever he did get home, his father was always passed out while his mother was asleep or working late.

Finally, Graduation came. …Honestly, Jamie was surprised Coop made it considering his grades weren't the best- maybe the teachers were just eager to see him leave after he destroyed the library… and chemistry lab… and teacher's lounge… heck, it was a miracle he didn't get expelled!

After the ceremony, they hung out in the basement, per the norm. "So… what're you gonna do?" Jamie asked.

"Going to work with my dad at the auto-garage. What about you?" Coop replied.

"Probably help Goat around the junkyard,"

"Cool. …Hey, maybe if things work out, we could become business partners or something. You sell me cars that you want fixed,"

"…while you sell us stuff that either stopped working- or that you broke,"

They both had a short laugh, before going back to watching a wrestling tournament on TV. "So… your folks still bugging ya?"

"Huh? …Oh. Not really, no. I mean, Dad hits me now and again, but I'm barely home while he's conscious, so not much."

"Right. Just checking,"

Jamie nodded. Deep down, he wanted his friend to console him- his own parents didn't even show up for his graduation, which didn't surprise him… though you'd think his mother would at least give a call or something, maybe even being proud. But nope. They didn't seem to care.

He often wondered if anyone cared… even his best-friend.

~XLR~

_Age 19._

There was an accident at the auto-garage. Apparently a car was leaking oil, and one of the mechanics forgot to put out his cigarette…

Coop's father didn't make it out.

Coop stayed down in the basement for days, and Jamie never left his side. Coop's father, though kinda gruff and stern, was still one heck of a dad- teaching his own kid everything about vehicles so that he could become a mechanic someday, never getting too mad when his grades were low, never complaining [too much] about Jamie staying over on school-nights… He was firm in discipline, but always worked hard and found time for his wife and son.

As if losing his father wasn't enough, the auto-shop burned down so now Coop was jobless- no other shop would hire him, due to his danger-prone history.

He wouldn't play videogames, and barely watched any movies. He just sat on the couch, mourning. Jamie sat beside him every day- often trying to get him to eat something, though unbelievably his friend only had one breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

After a week, Jamie was starting to grow worried about his friend's health, and how to console him. "Dude, look… if there's anything you need…" he whispered. "I mean, you were always there for me… so…"

Coop said nothing.

Jamie frowned. What could he do? What would Coop do whenever he was down?

He sighed, putting his face in his hands. Some friend he was.

"Jamie…"

He looked up. Coop was looking at the ground. "Yeah, bud?"

"W… why don't you go home? I'd like to be alone,"

Jamie looked at his friend, stunned. "No way, dude. You know I can't-"

"Just go! …I just… I don't want to be with anyone right now… you don't know what it feels like…"

Jamie looked to the ground for a while, sighing. "Yeah, I do."

"How?! Your dad's still alive-!"

He clenched his fists. "I don't HAVE a dad, alright?! Dads are supposed to take care of their kids- that piece of shit at my house would rather have me dead than be a father!" he shook his head, wincing. "Your ol' man… he was the kind of dad I wanted. Okay, sure, I pissed him off now and again… but every time I came over, he treated me the same way he treated you- he took us both out for ice-cream as kids, he picked us both up from school, he'd chew us both out whenever we fucked something up… Heck, he even gave me 'the talk' when I was twelve when I told him my ol' man wouldn't!"

Coop looked at his friend, only listening, tears still on the brim of his eyes.

"I know I wasn't really the kind of kid he'd want you hanging out with… but he still taught me a few things like he was teaching you- like we were brothers or something. I dunno, maybe he just figured I should wise-up if I was going to be hanging around you…" he paused, sighing. "So… yeah. I miss him too, Coop. And I'm not leaving you alone… because I know you don't want to be alone… because I don't…" he was tearing up now, shutting his eyes to try to keep them in.

An arm draped around his shoulders then, as his friend pulled him into a hug, lightly sobbing. Jamie only returned the embrace. It had been a while since they actually hugged- ever since Jamie decided it was too 'sissified' and didn't want to be labeled as a bigger wimp than he already was. But right now, he didn't think about what others would think- this was a special case.

Just like his grandma's funeral.

They pulled out of the hug a minute later, wiping away their tears. "So… what now?" Coop asked.

"I dunno… maybe get out of the house for a while, maybe see how Goat's doing?"

Coop nodded, and they walked out. "So… you going to go home later, or stick around?"

"What do you think? I'm sticking around, bud."

~XLR~

_Age 21_

Coop drove down the street, a little faster than the speed limit permitted- and his mom would no doubt kill him if she knew he was breaking a few road-rules in her van. He hadn't seen Jamie for almost a whole weekend, and was searching all over the city for any trace of him.

…Okay, so normal people wouldn't run all over to search for someone if they hadn't seen each other or called for only a couple days- but then again, most people didn't have the bond Coop and Jamie had, meaning that if either one of them hadn't shown up or called in over 24 hours, something was seriously off.

He wasn't at his house- he never went to his house during the day anymore, unless his dad was passed out; He wasn't at the mall- he hated the mall, only going there if he were desperate to pick up chicks; he wasn't at the arcade, junkyard, movies, or trying to get into a 'gentleman's club' (he kept getting his ass kicked anyway, always being way to short on cash).

Coop decided to head back to his house- maybe Jamie was on his way there. He drove down the street, forcing to stop when the traffic slowed at a red-light. He gripped the wheel, grinding his teeth- he hated being stuck in traffic more than anyone else on the planet. He looked out the window at the rain, noticing a new shop had opened, a few people walking, some scrawny dude slumped down in the alley, a new Chevy driving by, couple stray dogs running after a cat…

He squinted, suddenly noticing the scrawny figure looked all-too familiar. "Jamie?" he wondered, then pulled out of his lane and parked by the curb, stepping out and walking to the alley, seeing his friend slumped to the ground, with a black eye and swollen cheek. "Dude! What happened? You get into a fight or something?"

Jamie only groaned, his vision unfocused, his cheeks having a red tint to them, and his breath reeked of alcohol. "Oohhhhh… heya, Coop, wazzup?" he slurred.

"Geez, don't tell me you're drunk…" Coop hoisted his friend onto his feet, walking him to the car. "C'mon, bud, lets get you outta here before someone else beats the crap out of you,"

"Whatever…" Jamie allowed Coop to strap him into the back-seat. "Ugh… Coop… you know I hate riding in the back-seat…"

"Just try not to throw up!" Coop pulled onto the street and sped through a yellow light, wanting to get back to his house as quick as the laws of physics would allow.

"Where're ya takin' me?"

"Home, we need to sober you up-"

Jamie's eyes widened in horror. "NO! Don't take me to my house! No!" he then opened up the back door and rolled out, a car swerving to avoid missing him, as he stumbled across the freeway!

"JAMIE!" Coop made an emergency stop- getting fender-bent by a car behind him. "Dammit, Mom's gonna kill me!" he quickly turned on the emergency lights and took off after his drunken friend, regardless of what highway patrol was going to do to him or the vehicle. He caught up to Jamie, who was trying to climb over the railing. "Dude, stop! What the fuck are you doing?!"

"I… I can't do it anymore, Coop…" Jamie said, then took out a knife from his pocket. "Goodbye…" he raised it to his throat.

Coop smacked the knife out of his hand, his friend stumbling and nearly falling over the railing before Coop caught him. By this point, the traffic had slowed to a stop as everyone watched the scene. Jamie began to hyperventilate, slowly becoming sober and realizing what he nearly did… then passed out.

Coop picked up his friend, carrying him to the van and driving back, his friend unconscious in the back-seat.

Twenty minutes later, they were in the basement, Jamie sitting on the couch while Coop sat in the chair across from him. The rain was pouring outside, being the only sound in the still silence. Coop's mother wasn't home, which he was thankful for, as he didn't want her to grow overwhelmed (or chew him out about the van). The TV remained off, which was proof that the situation was too serious to ignore. He only sat there, watching his friend shiver and shake- he was more pale than usual, and looked like he was about to heave up the alcohol he consumed.

Finally, Coop decided to break the silence. "What happened?" he asked, his tone calm but stern- like the way his parents would talk to him whenever he got in trouble.

Jamie was quiet for a moment, still shaking. When he replied, he was trying to keep his voice steady, holding in a sob. "I… I went out drinking this weekend. Dad took me out- he hadn't had a beer in two weeks, so I figured… I dunno… maybe he decided to change- probably after Mom snapped at him for not pulling his weight or something. He said since I turned 21 he would show me the benefits of man-hood…" He paused, wincing. "…He took me to this one bar on the other side of town, claiming I could meet chicks- the first night, we went to a strip-joint, then Dad rented a hotel room… but I got locked out. I would've gone home, except it was 1 AM and I had no fucking idea where we were… The next day, we drove around the city trying to find our way back- he kept calling me useless. We stopped at a bar. He got drunk, I was buzzed… suddenly we're getting kicked out, some guys are after us- I don't remember what happened, I just know that Dad ditched me. Probably ended up in jail for drunk-driving, the way he was swerving- hell, maybe he's dead. …He left me to a couple guys who roughed me up, took the last of my cash, and left me on the curb with nothing but a bottle of beer. I tried to find my way home, but didn't get past the alley, my mind was in a haze… this morning I drank that beer for breakfast, still too buzzed to think… then…" he shut his eyes, hugging his knees tight. "…you know the rest."

Coop only nodded. Before he could speak, Jamie began to sob.

"Why… did I go with him?! I should've known it would've been shit… can't believe I was so stupid… I HOPE THAT ASSHOLE DIED OF ALCOHOL POISONING!"

"Whoa! Dude! Calm down!" Coop said, rushing over and gripping his friend by the shoulders. "Easy… it's alright…"

"No! It's not fucking alright, Coop! I almost died because of that piece of shit!" Jamie tried to pull out of his grip, thrashing like a kid throwing a tantrum. "Let me go!"

"And let you go on a rampage?! No way, man, you're still messed-up in the head- that booze probably hasn't worn off. I can't believe you got drunk…"

"IT'S NOT MY FAULT! He… he fooled me… making me think he changed… bastard probably just wanted to get rid of me!" Jamie gave up struggling- Coop outweighed him a great deal, so it was no use. "You'd think… I wouldn't have given in, since they never cared about me… but for _some fucking reason_, I just HAD to give him a chance!" He tried hard to hold back the rest of his tears, shoulders shaking. "I'm… I'm going to kill him!"

"No… dude… think!" Coop was starting to panic on the inside- his friend had a wicked look in his eye. "It's done now. You're back here, he's nowhere around… Just. Chi-"

Jamie tore out of his grip, backing away, anger on his face. "_Stop treating me like a little kid_! Fuck! You always act like you have to watch out for me- keep me at your house, go everywhere with me… you don't even let me play videogames anymore because you think I might break something!"

"Hey, that last part doesn't count- I'm always territorial of my stuff! …And I watch out for you because that's what friends do, you dumbass! Plus, considering your parents give you hell at home, I think you should feel lucky! The only reason I'd treat you like a little kid is when you act like one- like you are now!"

Jamie clenched his fists. "Screw you! I'm out of here!" he stormed to the back door.

Coop wasn't about to let him go, though. No way was he going to let his still-sobering friend wander out into the rain with a mind clouded in anger, grief, and the urge to kill. He grabbed his friend by the arm, yanking him back. Jamie swung a punch, which Coop caught with one hand, while the other clung onto his elbow, both of them struggling. Oh, it was on!

Jamie tried kicking Coop's legs out from underneath him- hey, if Spike Spiegel could do it in _Cowboy Bebop, _it should be easy for him to do, right? His friend didn't really watch the show much or know any fighting-moves outside of videogames, so maybe he'd have-

Ah, what's the point? It failed epically.

Jamie only caused Coop to bring up his leg, losing balance and they both fell on the floor, where his friend caught him in a head-lock, putting all his weight on him. "Coop!" Jamie choked. "You're…crushing… me!"

"You're *mmf* acting like an asshole! And I'm not letting go until you promise me- on the Marvel Comics- that you calm down!" Coop snapped.

"Let me go!"

"PROMISE!"

Jamie struggled more, starting to lose breath, but finally gave in. "Fine… I swear on the Marvel Comics that I'll calm down!"

Coop looked him in the eye, making sure he was sincere, then loosened his grip. He kept a hand on his friend's shoulder though, just in case he tried to storm out again. Thunder rumbled outside, lightening flashing, the sounds mixing to the rhythm of their heavy breathing. Tears were running down Jamie's face again- though it was hard to tell whether it was from his grief, or Coop choking him.

"Sorry… it's just… damn, I feel stupid…" Jamie sighed, rubbing his face.

"S'alright, dude." Coop replied, patting him on the shoulder. There was another pause between them, as he looked out the window. "You're… not going to go back, are you?"

Jamie scoffed, slightly glaring. "What do YOU think?"

"Just asking… Why don't you just, you know, move out?"

Jamie sighed. "It's not that easy… Look, Coop, I appreciate the help, but I gotta deal with this on my own-"

Coop gave him a look. "When have you EVER dealt with anything on your own?"

(_We begin to get flashbacks of Jamie and Coop's childhood where Jamie was always asking for help, from building a snow-fort to getting a book off the library shelf-)_

"That's what I mean!" Jamie cut in before the flashbacks-within-a-flashback could continue. "I don't want to act like I can't take care of myself- I'm tired of acting like a scared, little kid!"

Coop scoffed. "Dude. I still live with my mother, spend my time either working on cars, playing videogames, or watching monster-movies, and have been fired from 12 jobs in the past three months. You're not the only one who acts like a kid! …And like I said before, I help you out because we're friends. If you think I'm just going to turn my back and let you storm off every time your ol' man gives you grief, think again! I'll just track you down and stay beside you until you cool off… In fact, I think I feel a hug coming on!"

Jamie sighed. "Coop… no. I-I've outgrown hugs-"

"C'mon, we haven't hugged since… well, a while! You know you want to~!"

"No way…" Jamie turned to stand up, but Coop- still having a hand on his shoulder- pulled him back down and trapped him in his arms. "Ack! Coop! Let me go!"

Coop only smirked, squeezing him a little tighter. "Not until you hug back!"

Jamie groaned. "…better pray no one walks in and sees us…" Hesitantly, he draped his arms lazily around his friend's enormous abdomen.

Grinning, the couch-potato rubbed his friend's back. When his hand came across the small, his friend instantly relaxed, like a ragdoll. "Whoa… you still have that reaction?"

"What? …oh, yeah… b-been a while, I guess…" Jamie's mind started to go foggy, forgetting what it felt like being rubbed on the small of his back… feeling secure… He started to shake just then, tears threatening to break through, and he tried to keep them in. It did no good, especially since his friend was still holding him, rubbing in that same spot. "Dammit…" he quietly whispered, burying his face in his friend's shirt, gripping him tight.

Coop relaxed a bit, leaning back against the couch while still holding his friend. It had been a while since he consoled him- all that rage must have been building up since the last time they had a tender-moment. "Better?" he whispered.

"Yeah," Jamie sighed, still leaning against his friend, lying on him like a pillow. All the weight of the horrible weekend, though slipping away slowly, drained him of energy, as he found himself too exhausted (and comfortable, finally) to relax. "…may crash here tonight…"

"Cool with me,"

Barely a minute later, the scrawny young man was snoring softly. Coop picked him up, lying him on the couch and sitting back in the comfy chair, turning on the television to play a few games, while he waited for his friend to get back on his feet once more.

~XLR~

**A/N: Sorry for any OOC-ness… but I was up late and in a fluff-mood and wanted to make these two hug again! And yes, I made a 'Spike Spiegel' reference towards Jamie, considering they have the same voice-actor. (…wonder if anyone will ever make a crossover? Hmm…)**

**Jamie: *off-screen* Where's the nimrod behind this story?!**

**0_0 Uh… Anyway, if you need me, I'll be hiding! *flees***


	5. Long Awaited Payback!

***peeks out from closet* Okay, people, this maaay be the last chapter- namely because the guys found out I'm writing it, and want revenge. Please enjoy!**

…**oh, and Kiva, if you're also reading this, please don't kill me for what's coming up!**

~XLR~

Jamie awoke from his sleep the next afternoon, roughly 2:30 PM. The room was littered with wrappers, empty Megaslush cups, spare pieces of popcorn that spilled out of the bowl… but no Milk Duds, much to his disappointment- despite his whining, Coop claimed he could go without, and he'd owe him a box next time.

He thought back to last night. Halfway through their movie-marathon, Coop passed out on the floor and Kiva went upstairs to get some sleep. Jamie couldn't sleep, as the pain in his leg was keeping him up, and just his luck the movie had ended. He didn't dare to wake Coop to have him switch it back over to cable or something, considering waking him up at 4 AM would be worse than waking a bear during its hibernation. So he was alone with his thoughts, his mind having drifting into the past.

He felt like an idiot, not moving in with his friend when he had the chance- not allowing him to tell his parents, for his fear of being sent away and separated from his best friend. For all he knew, Coop's parents would have taken him in themselves- 10% out of sympathy, 90% out of Coop's begging.

He once considered going to the police too, just to have his dad arrested- his mom ignoring him didn't bother him unless it involved her nonchalance at his father's abuse. But unfortunately, he and Coop already caused too much trouble with them, normally with prank-calls as kids or their pranks backfiring majorly at school… Chances were, the cops would probably think it was just another prank- or, his dad would probably lie and say that he was just showing Jamie some 'discipline' after causing a fight, as he always had some sort of alibi whenever a neighbor or someone would ask how Jamie got his bruises.

And no one ever believed Jamie.

Actually, it was amazing Kiva even listened. A look in her eyes even made him believe she was really upset and felt sorry for him. This made him feel both touched and unnerved. It was nice to see she cared about him, but he didn't want her pity- bad enough she was a kick-ass warrior from the future, he didn't need her making him feel more like a weakling than he already was. And he knew the situation wouldn't change her attitude towards him- she would still be cynical, critical, and a kill-joy about his and Coop's interests.

He sat up, still feeling an ache in his leg. Despite Coop's mom ordering him to keep off it for the next couple of days, he still decided to head back to his house to gather his stuff. It was Saturday, his mother would be working all day, and his dad would be going to a bar like he did every weekend, if not passed out in his chair.

He took a couple steps, hissing in pain, but kept moving. Coop and Kiva weren't around- they probably went out to train, figuring he would be in bed the whole day due to his injury. Maybe they were heading to his house to pick up his things for him. A sweet gesture of friendship… but independence started to surface in his mind. Sure, at any other opportunity, he would have them do things for him, but this was different- they were letting him LIVE with them, the least he could do was go and pack his own bags (not to mention didn't like the idea of someone else handling his stuff- especially as reckless as Coop tended to be, and didn't want Kiva finding his 'private' magazine collection).

When he made it out the door, he was getting used to the ache. It would probably be forgotten by the time he reached the end of the block anyway, he figured. Plus, his place was around the corner, it wasn't like he was trying to walk ten miles with a wounded leg or anything…

Halfway down the block, it started to feel like such, as suddenly the pain was starting to intensify. He looked back at Coop's house- maybe it wasn't too late to go and ask for a lift. Though, he noticed Megas wasn't out front, so it was a safe bet the effort walking back would be wasted- not to mention if Coop's mom caught him, she'd force him to lay down in bed… which, normally, he'd jump at the offer, but getting his stuff was his first priority- if he was going to be bed-ridden, he'd at least wanted to have one of his comic-books to read or his tape of _Vampire Cheerleaders _to watch, considering Coop wouldn't let him touch his comics or movies without permission, and he could forget about playing videogames behind his back (the last time he tried that, Coop sat on him while he took over- he got up when Jamie was turning blue in the face).

Thinking about all this got his mind off the pain for a little bit, as he chuckled. Yep, living with his best-friend was going to be pretty interesting.

Ten minutes later, he entered the house- much to his dismay, his dad was awake, sitting in the chair watching TV, a beer in his hand as always, this time accompanied by a bag of pork-rinds. "What the fuck are you doing back? I thought you were finally moving out," his ol' man sneered.

"Can't move out without my stuff, dumbass," Jamie retorted, limping over to the stairs.

His dad chuckled. "Still feelin' the pain from last night, huh? Surprised you could even handle it- you were always a pathetic wimp! I figured you would've collapsed after your mama tossed you out… That's how much of a disgrace you are- your own mother doesn't even want you!"

"No shit," Jamie climbed up the stairs. The pain in his leg was increasing, making him wince with every step.

"Yeah, go on! Keep walking, you pussy!"

He entered his room. Sure enough, the drunk downstairs had torn into his bag and dumped out everything- clothes, CDs, magazines (now torn), and basic necessities were strewn around the room. The bastard probably would have damaged everything in sight, if Jamie's mom wasn't so nit-picky about messes. Sighing, Jamie gathered his clothes, necessities, and any CDs that weren't scratched or shattered, stuffing them in his bag. He looked around the room, making sure he had everything he needed, then turned and started walking down the stairs.

Pain shot up his leg halfway down, and he stumbled, skidding down while the straps of his bag tangled around his torso, and he was soon sitting at the bottom.

His dad busted out laughing. "Damn, boy, you can't even walk without fucking up!" he exclaimed. Jamie only ignored him, shakily getting back on his feet, grabbing his bag, and heading for the door, which the drunk didn't take so kindly too. "What, no 'goodbye Dad'? …Figures, you're just going to run off like always. You could never be a REAL man…"

"And neither could you," Jamie snarled back, walking through the door. He was barely down the walk when he was grabbed by the shoulder.

"Oh, think you're so tough, huh?!" his ol' man snarled, grabbing him by the throat. "Lets see how tough you are after I-"

A hand pinched the area where the shoulder meets the neck, and suddenly the drunk hit the ground, unconscious. Jamie looked, seeing Kiva standing there. "I wondered where you ran off to," she commented.

Jamie sighed, though he didn't know whether to be relieved that the future-warrior saved his neck[again], or irritated that she was tracking him. "What brought you here?" he asked.

"I went downstairs this afternoon and noticed you and Coop were gone, and figured you two came over here." Kiva looked down at Jamie's unconscious dad. "Well… I was half-right. Which brings me to my next question: Why in the world did you come over here by yourself, especially with an injury?!"

Jamie scoffed. "I'm not THAT helpless, Kiva. I was doing fine, until my ol' man wanted to choke me one more time over some smart-remark."

"It would have been wiser if you just remained silent."

"That pisses him off more."

Kiva shook her head, then looked at his dad once more. "I have every right to report this drunken imbecile to the authorities for assault…"

"Nah… just leave him. He'll probably drink himself to death, now that he won't have me around to harass…" His voice trailed off as he saw his mother's car pull up.

The woman, wearing a business-suit, having graying-blonde hair, and wearing hornbill-glasses, looked at the scene: her husband on the ground, her son with a duffel-bag, and a strange woman standing with him. "What's going on? Who's this woman?" she asked Jamie.

"I'm moving out. Kiva just came to help… Dad passed out trying to stop me," Jamie answered, lying on that past part.

"Hm. I see… Well. Goodbye then." And that was all she said before stepping over her husband and into the house, answering her cell-phone as it rang. "Hello? …No, the meeting's been rescheduled, until the repairs can be made…"

Kiva looked at Jamie, who remained stoic, then turned and started walking. She followed him, noticing his limping was getting worse. "Here. Let me carry your bag," she said.

"Thanks for the offer, but I can handle it," Jamie muttered. He was grabbed by the shoulder once more, turning and forcing to face Kiva.

She looked at him with a look of irritation… and sympathy. "Stop with the charade, Jamie. Your leg is no doubt throbbing in pain, you were nearly choked to death, and your stubbornness will only make things worse."

Jamie only sneered, shrugging her hand off. "I don't need any pity from you. It's over and done now-"

She grabbed him again and forced him to face her. "No, it's not. …I've seen things like this before. When someone's gone through so much pain in a large amount of time, and they try to hide it… it breaks them from within. I know you're still holding something in." she grabbed his hand with her other hand, sighing. "I don't pity you, Jamie… I just want to make sure you're leaving it behind- the hurt, the secrets, the grudge… everything."

Jamie looked at her… then smirked. "Huh. Didn't think you'd care THAT much," he patted her on the shoulder. "Trust me, Kiv, I'll be fine. Nothing can be overcome in a day- heck, I've barely moved in! I'll be back to my charming, critical self in no time- then you'll be kicking me out, heh."

Kiva shook her head, but smiled. She then wrapped her arms around Jamie, giving him a hug.

He stood there, stunned, but returned it once he was sure no one was looking. He then cleared his throat, pulling away. "S-So… what was that about?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Like I said, hugging is rare in the future… I decided I should get the hang of it, again." She then gave a mock-glare. "But if you tell anyone, you're dead!"

Jamie chuckled, and they continued on their way. "So… you said Coop wasn't around, either?"

"No. It's weird, I wonder where he could have gone?"

"Right here!"

Jamie yelped, and Kiva gave a jolt, as Coop jumped out from behind a tree, laughing at his friends' reactions. "Coop! Where've you been, dude?" Jamie asked.

"Eh, just took Megas out, figured I'd see if there were any new games in at GameStop, see if Goat wanted to hang out, stuff like that." The smug tone in the Megas pilot's voice made both his friends suspicious.

"Alright… what did you destroy THIS time?!" Kiva demanded.

"Geez, what makes you think that every time I'm alone in Megas, I destroy something?!"

Kiva only gave him a deadpanned look.

Coop rolled his eyes. "Alright, I only punched a hole in ONE building, that's it." He looked at Jamie. "I figured you went back to your house- can't believe it, dude, I was hoping you'd let me come! I wanted to scare your ol' man by, like, ripping off the roof or something!"

"Lets wait until I get ALL my stuff moved out. I've only got the essentials I need for this month," Jamie replied, coolly.

Coop shrugged. "Alright, though you might as well let me at least smash the front of it, since I doubt you're going to move back,"

Jamie thought for a moment, looking back at his yard. "Hmm… well, there's probably ONE thing you can do…"

~XLR~

When Jamie's dad came to… he screamed and basically pissed himself.

Hey, anyone would if they found themselves hanging by their shirt by a flag-staff located at the very top of a building.

Walking off, brushing its hands together, was the massive Megas robot, where inside Coop and Jamie were chuckling. Kiva shook her head… though decided to let this matter slide. Just once.

~XLR~

**A/N: And that's the end of the story! Again, sorry for any OOC-ness, if it were quick-paced, and… basically anything else that you didn't like, though I hope everyone enjoyed-**

**Coop: I FOUND HIM!**

**O_O Though I doubt it! Uh, r-r-review, don't flame, and see you in my next story if I live! **

**Jamie: Use all the missiles on him, Coop!**

**Augh! *runs down the street, pursued by Megas* Curse my fluffy-imagination…!**


End file.
